This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 777,501, filed Mar. 14, 1977, now abandoned.
This invention relates to collapsible passenger escape equipment and especially to the launching of inflatable rafts supported by a davit and lowered from an elevated platform or deck to the water.
This type of escape equipment is useful for evacuating people from offshore oil production platforms in the event of fire or other emergency. It is also useful for evacuating people from ships at sea.
At the present time, the inflatable rafts are packed in valise-type containers and stowed in the general vicinity of the launching davit. In the case of an emergency, they must be moved to the launch site and the fall or supporting cable attached to the raft lift ring after which the raft is inflated. Then an apron may be drawn out and over the raft onto the deck and attached by lines to cleats on the deck to stabilize the raft during loading. An example of this type of raft is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,324 of Phillips, dated Feb. 7, 1961.
One of the disadvantages of prior systems is the time required to move the raft in the container to the launch site and connect the supporting cable and apron lines. A problem with these systems is making sure the apron lines are released before the raft is lowered so that these lines will not cause tilting and spill out the passengers. When the raft is being handled under emergency conditions such as an oil or gas fire, these problems of setup time, stabilization and release of the apron lines may be the difference between a successful or unsuccessful launching of the raft and could cost the lives of the people who are depending on this mode of escape.